Paperboard panel securing means and carton structure incorporating same



Nov. 20, 1962 Filed Nov. 18. 1958 H. PAPERBOARD PANEL SECURING MEANS AND CARTO w. FORRER EIAL N 3,064,877

STRUCTURE INCORPORATING SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 g 2 BY PRENT/CEJ. W000 1962 H. w. FORRER EI'AL 3,064,877

PAPERBOARD PANEL SECURING MEANS AND CARTON STRUCTURE INCORPORATING SAME Flled Nov 18, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. 5 w. an M mmm 3 W M We I H mm 5 9 7,2 2 E a a wm%/w #Y B E 11 I I i I I I I so h I I I l I I l I I I I I n 1 Nov. 20, 1962 H. w. FORRER ETAL PAPERBOARD PANEL 3,064,877 SECURING MEANS AND CARTON STRUCTURE INCORPORATING SAME Filed Nov. 18, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 20, 1962 H. w. FORRER EI'AL 3,064,877

PAPERBOARD PANEL SECURING MEANS AND CARTON STRUCTURE INCORPORATING SAME Filed Nov. 18, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS 1? 44 FOR/PEI? I QQENUCE :1 W000 Nov. 20, 1962 H. w. FORRER ETAL 3,064,877

PAPERBOARD PANEL SECURING MEANS AND CARTON STRUCTURE INCORPORATING SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 18, 1958 o m M W. m m M m a 0 z 1 2 M n .MP w w 1 n I, a im 2: a 1 8 u a" United States Patent ()fifice 3,064,877 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,064,877 PAPERBOARD PANEL SECURING MEANS AND CARTON STRUCTURE INCORPORATING SAME Homer W. Forrer and Prentice J. Wood, Atlanta, Ga.. assig'nors', by mesne assignments, to The Mead Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, :1 cornoration of Ohio Filed Nov. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 774,755

3 Claims. (Cl. 229-45) dered securing tabs extending foldably in spaced relation 7 from an edge of one panel and inserted through aligned slots formed at the adjacent edge of another angularly related, edge abutting panel,the aligned slots being formed by an auxiliary panel member foldably hinged at the adjace nt edgeof the other panel with relatively short tab extensions of this other panel slit in the auxiliary panel from aslit base width substantially equal to the shouldered width of the securing tabs to a narrowed width at the extending edge thereof that is substantially equal to the base width of the securing tabs. 1

. By this arrangement, the tab extensions serve the purpose of facilitating insertion of the securing tabs for interlocking at the auxiliary panel slots and further result in forming these slots for effective interlocking with the securing tabs. As a consequence, a variety of carton structures can be arranged advantageously for packaging all sorts of goods in a uniquely simple manner, as is described in further detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carton structure embodying the present invention, the carton structure being shown in erect and secured form for enclosing a package of goods therein;

FIG. 2 is a further perspective view corresponding generally to FIG. 1, but showing the cover lid of the carton structure open prior to securing;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevation, partly broken away, substantially as seen at the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

' FIG. 4 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the form of blank provided according to the present invention for the carton structure illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4;

7 FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a modified carton structure formed according to the present invention, the carton structure being shown erect and secured;

FIG. 7 is a corresponding perspective view showing the FIG. 6 carton structure with the cover lid thereof open prior to securing;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged front side elevation corresponding to FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is atop plan view corresponding to FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the form of blank provided according to the present invention for the carton structure illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and more particularly at first to FIGS. 1 and 2 in which the illustrated carton structure embodiment is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, the carton structure 10 is shown as incorporating a foldably hinged series of wall panels 12, 14, 16 and 18, with the alternate panels 12 and 16, and 14 and 18, of the series arranged in opposed pairs, and with the terminal panels 12 and 18 of the series arranged for securing connection at the respective terminal edges 12 and 18 thereof.

The securing means by which the terminal panel connection is affected comprises, as noted briefly above, at least one shouldered securing tab 20 extending foldably from one of the terminal wall panels 12 at the terminal edge 12 thereof and inserted through an aligned slot formed at the terminal edge 18' of the other terminal panel 18. Usually, it will be desirable to provide a plurality of the securing tabs 20 spaced along the terminal edge 12 of panel 12 in the manner of the pair of tabs 20 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. I

The securing tabs 20 have a neck portion 2' foldably hinged at the terminal edge 12' of the panel 12 and ex? tending therefrom to the shouldered tab portions 23 in an appropriate length for securing disposition through the slots aligned therewith as described further below. The shouldered tab portion 23 of'the securing tabs 20 extends laterally from said neck portion 21 to define shoulders 25 that are in substantially parallel spaced relation with respect to the terminal edge 12 of the panel 12, and the tabs 20 may have any desired shape beyond the shoulders 25, so long as adequate strength is aiforded for the shoulder structure and so long as the width of the shoulders is not exceeded.

The aligned slots 24' provided at the terminal, edge 18' of the wall panel 18 for securing insertion of the tabs 20 thereat are formed by an auxiliary panel member 22 foldably hinged at the terminal edge 18' with relatively short tab extensions 24 of the wall panel 18 slit therein. These tab extensions 24 have a base portion 27 extending along the terminal edge 18' an extent substantially equal to the width of the shoulders 25 of the securing tabs 20. Extending from the base portion 27 is a narrowed portion 29 extending along the base portion an extent substantially equal to the width of the base or neck portion 21 of the securing tabs 20.

In secured relation, as shown in FIG. 1 and illustrated further in FIGS 3 and 4, the auxiliary panel member 22 is folded to a disposition inwardly of the wall panel 12 with the tab extensions 24 remaining in the plane of the Wall panel 18 to open the aligned slots in the auxiliary panel member 22, as indicated at 24' in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, and the securing tabs 20 are folded to a disposition inwardly of the wall panel 18 and inserted through the slots 24' with the shouldered portion thereof disposed inwardly of the auxiliary panel member 22 and the base or neck portion 21 thereof disposed in slot 24'. The shape of the slots 24' corresponds to the shape of the tab extensions 24 as the slots 24' result from the slitting of the tab extensions 24- and the folding of the auxiliary panel member 22. Thus the slots 24' are formed in the auxiliary panel member 22 with base portions 27 extending along the terminal edge 18' of the terminal panel 18 in an extent substantially equal to the width of the shoulders 25 of the securing tabs 20 to permit insertion therethrough of the shouldered portion 23 of the securing tabs 20. Similarly the slots 24 have a narrowed portion 29 extending from the base portion 27 away from the terminal edge 18 and extending along said base portion 27' an extent substantially equal to the width of the neck portion 21 of the securing tabs 20 for disposition of the neck portion 21 therein.

By virtue of this arrangement, the tab extensions 24 form slightly projecting lips that serve to guide insertion of the securing tabs 20 readily at the slots 24', the shouldered, portion 23 of the securing tabs 20 being accommodated by the slit base portion 27 of the slots 24' during insertion, while the base or neck portion 21 of the securing tabs 20 is received at the previously mentioned narrowed portion 29' of the slots 24' upon insertion to allow the shouldered tab portions 23 to shift backwardly beneath the auxiliary panel member 22 in interlocked relation therewith adjacent the slots 24'; the shouldered portions of the securing tabs being biased toward this interlocking relation by the normal tendency of the carton structure 10 to unfold, and being further biased to the same efiiect 5 by the outward pressure of goods enclosed'by the carton structure 10, the result of which biasing is to tension the basep'ortions of the securing tabs 20 toward the narrowed portions 29' of the slots 24 and thereby provide an automatic interlocking action.

In addition to the securing tabs 20 arranged according to the present invention in the manner described above, a registering tab 26 is also advantageously provided with a foldably extending disposition at the terminal edge 12' of the wall panel 12 in spaced relation with respect to the extending edge thereof that is substantially equal to the base width of the registering tab 26 and that is never diminished throughout the extending length thereof.

The width of the tab extension 28 may be increased insertion of registering tab 26 in the slot 28', and the extending end portion of registering tab 26 may be rounded for the same purpose, but these specific shape features are a matter of choice that may be selected as desired as long tially equal in widthwise extent to'the other terminal wall panel 18 and the opposed wall panel 14 paired therewith, and bellows fold corner webs 32 are foldably hinged between the respectively adjacent end edges of the side wall panels 30 and the opposed pair of wall panels 14 and 18. These bellows fold corner webs 32 are diagonally scored in the usual manner, as indicated at 34 in FIG. 5, for folding inwardly of the carton structure 10 upon erection, as seen best in FIG. 2, and are in place at this inwardly folded disposition according to the present invention by the outward pressure'of the goods enclosed by the secured carton structure 10,, so as not to require separate securing with glue or the like as is generally the case, but to assume and hold a proper inwardly folded disposition in relation to a carton structurelt) inwhichthe securing tabs 20 and related interlocking structure constitute the sole carton securing means.

In addition, it should be-noted that the bellows fold corner webs 32 from an'imperforate tray section about the wall panel 16 considered as a bottom, which can heel-'11 ployed to particular advantage in frozen food cartons, for example, as a means of providing for'the elimination of objectional liquid leakage from the cartons during the thawing of the frozen food contents-for use. The carton structure 10 may be further arranged advantageously according to the present invention with flap panels 36 foldably hinged coextensively on the side wall panels 30 for dispositioninwardly of the terminal wall panel 12 as a means of preventing undetected pilfering of contents from the secured carton structure at the side wall panels 30, which may under some circumstances be folded outwardly to allow removal of part or all of the contents from the carton structure 10 and then refolded into place as if the carton had notbeen opened. Such manipulation of the side wall panels 30 is not possible 7 unless the packaged contents are sufficiently yieldable, or

have a corner formation, so as to allow related unfolding of the bellows fold corner webs 32, andthe flap panels 36 efiectively prevent such unfolding of the corner webs 32, as well as making it ditficult to obtain any manipulating grasp on the side wall panels 30, and thereby cause as the above noted width relations are provided so that the inserted registering tab 26 will be seated adjacent the foldably'hingedbase thereof at the edge of the'aligned slot 28 corresponding to the extending edge of'tlie additional tab extension 28 and thereby serve to hold the wall panels 12 and 18 against relative shifting lengthwise of the terminal edges 12 and 18' thereof and in this way guard againstdisturbance of the interlocked disposition of the securing tabs 20 by reason of such shifting.

With the basic elements described above, the carton structure 10 may be arranged eifectively as a wrapper *i type carton in a manner such as is disclosed, for example, in copending application Serial No. 785,883, filed January 9, 1959, and it should be further noted that the auxiliary panel member 22 may be arranged to serve additional cushioning purposes or the like in relation to goods pose further comprises an opposed pair of side wall'panels 30-foldably hinged at the side edges of the wall panel 16 that is paired'with the terminal wall panel 12 on which the securing tabs 20 are carried.

any attempted access to the carton interior through the side wall panels 30 to damage the carton structure thereat so as to be readily detected and consequently to discourage slightly toward the base thereof, as shown, to ease the Z Pilfefiflg.

In this connection it should also be noted that such flap panels 36 can be providedaccording'to the present invention without requiring any substantially additional amount of paperboard in the blank, as, illustrated'in FIG. 5, by relieving the free corners of the bellows fold corner webs 32 diagonally, as indicated at 32' in FIG. 5, in an extent reducing the free side edge extent (as, at 36'1in' FIG. 5) to the order of the width-wise extent of the flap panels 36, so as to allow nesting of adjacent blanks in the manner indicated by the dotted outlines'shown in FIG. 5; e

ranged at the terminal edges-102 and 108' thereof for secured connection by means of securing tabs 1'10'carried on the. panel 102 in foldably extending spaced relation at the terminal edge 102' and inserted in interlocked relationwith an auxiliary panel member '112 foldably hinged on panel 108 at theterminal edge 108' through aligned slots 114' formed in the auixilary panel member 11 2 'by tab' extensions 114 of the panel member 108 a slit therein.

The securing tabs 110 and slots 114 resulting in the auxiliary panel member 112 from the slit form of the tab extensions 114 have the same dimensional relations explained above in connection with the first described embodiment 10, although it should be noted that the extending shouldered portions of the securing tabs 110 have a tapered shape, rather than a rounded one such as the tabs 20 of the previous embodiment do, which illustrates the matter of choice in this respect previously pointed out above.

The presently described carton structure embodiment also incorporates a registering tab 116 at the terminal edge 102' of panel 102 for aligning insertion at a slot 118' formed in auxiliary panel member 112 by a further tab extension 118 of panel 108 to serve the same purpose as the corresponding elements of the previously described embodiment, although again it should be noted that the extending shape of the registering tab 116 is optionally different in that it is rounded at one side only which is often an advantageous arrangement for easing the insertion of the registering tab 116 when the carton structure is developed by progressive folding means during an automtic packaging operation.

To complete the carton structure 100, an opposed pair of side wall panels 120 is foldably hinged at the opposite side edges of the serial panel 106 in a widthwise extent corresponding to that of the adjacent serial panel pair of 104 and 108; bellows fold corner webs 122 having diagonal fold lines 124 therein are foldably hinged at the respective adjacent end edges of the side wall panels 120 and the paired serial panels 104 and 108; and flap panels 126 are foldably hinged on the side wall panels 120; all in the same general manner and for the same purpose explained at length in connection with the first described embodiment 10.

In the present instance it should be noted, however, that because of the relatively shallow depth of the carton structure 100, the flap panels 126 have a widthwise extent corresponding substantially to that of the side wall panels 120, so that no relief of the bellows fold corner Webs 122 is required for nesting as in the previously described embodiment 10. On the other hand, the carton structure 100 is arranged to illustrate a further nesting possibility in the notching of the securing tabs 110 and registering tab 116 in the auxiliary panel member 112 between adjacent blanks, as indicated at 110' and 116', so as to reduce the blanking pitch in the notched extent while not interfering in any way with the function and purpose of the auxiliary panel member 112 and still providing it with a substantial size.

Finally, the carton structure 100 is arranged to illustrate the possible provision of a display window at 128 in the carton panel 106 with perforated tear lines 130 extending therefrom across the adjacent carton panel 104 to provide for opening the carton readily when the packaged contents are to be removed.

The present invention has been described in detail above the purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a paperboard structure incorporating adjacent, angularly related, edge metting panels, means for securing said angularly related panels at the adjacent edges thereof, said means comprising at least one shouldered securing tab having a neck portion extending foldably from the adjacent edge of one of said panels and shoulders extending from said neck portion, said shoulders facing said adjacent edge of said one panel and being spaced therefrom by said neck portion, the other of said panels having a portion foldably hinged along a fold line at said adjacent edge thereof and extending generally parallel to said one panel with at least one securing tab receiving slot formed in said portion, said slot having a tab shoulder receiving width along said fold line suificiently wide to permit insertion of the tab shoulders through the slot without substantial deformation, 'said slot narrowing away from said fold line and into said ortion to a tab locking width that is less than the width of the tab shoulders, the shoulders of said tab being insertable through said slot at the tab shoulder receiving width to position the neck portion of the tab in the slot, said paperboard structure being dimensioned so that said adjacent panels are normally under slight tension tending to cause separation of said adjacent panels in a direction parallel to the length of the slot thereby drawing the neck portion of the tab into the narrowed tab locking width of the slot to lock the shoulders of the tab against said portion of said other panel and secure said angularly related panels together.

2. In a paperboard structure incorporating adjacent, angularly related, edge meeting panels, means for securing said angularly related panels at the adjacent edges thereof, said means comprising at least one shouldered securing tab having a neck portion extending foldably from the adjacent edge of one of said panels and shoulders extending from said neck portion, said shoulders facing said adjacent edge of said one panel and being spaced therefrom by said neck portion, the other of said panels havinga portion foldably hinged along a fold line at said adjacent edge thereof and extending generally parallel to said one panel and having at least one short tab extension formed from said portion and extending beyond said fold line generally in the plane of said other panel, the formation of said at least one tab extension from said portion forming at least one securing tab receiving slot in said portion, said slot having a tab shoulder receiving width along said fold line sufficiently wide to permit insertion of the tab shoulders through the slot without substantial deformation, said slot narrowing away from said fold line and into said portion to a tab locking width that is less than the width of the tab shoulders, said tab being in sertable in said slot with said tab extension guiding the alignment and insertion of the tab with respect to the slot, the shoulders of said tab being insertable through said slot at the tab shoulder receiving width to position the neck portion of the tab in the slot, said paperboard structure being dimensioned so that said adjacent panels are normally under slight tension tending to cause separation of said adjacent panels in a direction parallel to the length of the slot thereby drawing the neck portion of the tab into the narrowed tab locking width of the slot to lock the shoulders of the tab against said portion of said other panel and secure said angularly related panels together.

3. A paperboard blank adapted to form a carton structure for packaging goods, said blank comprising a foldably hinged series of panels, at least one shouldered tab having a neck portion extending foldably from the terminal edge of one of the terminal panels of said series and having shoulders extending from said neck portion, said shoulders facing said terminal panel edge and spaced therefrom by said neck portion, the other terminal panel of said series having a terminal portion foldably hinged thereto along a fold line and having at least one tab receiving slot formed in said portion along said fold line and aligned for receipt of said shouldered tab upon folding of said portion and said panels so that said portion is adjacent and generally parallel to said one terminal panel, said slot having a tab shoulder receiving width along said fold line sufiiciently wide to permit insertion of the tab shoulders through the slot without substantial deformation, said slot narrowing away from said fold line and into said portion to a tab locking Width that is less than the width of the tab shoulders, said panels being dimensioned for folding and insertion of the tab shoulders through the shoulder receiving width of the slot to position the neck portion of the tab in the slot, said dimensioning producing a slight tensioning of the panels when folded and the tab inserted in the slot thereby tending to cause separation of the terminal panels in a direction parallel to; the length of t he j slot to draw 'the neck portion of the tab into the tab locking width of tbs .5101 toglocl; the shgmlders of th c'tab against-said portion of gthe, other terminal panel for secpring' saidpanels together. I 7 n Q Rferences Cited 111' th q file of this biten't' v UNITEDYSTLATES PATENTS. 1 1 413,784 H0tch kis s Q, Oct.;29, 1889 1,634,596. Schurmann- IulyS, 19 27 8 Brown Iune'24, 1930 Palmer Feb. 13,1940 Simms June 13, 1950 McReady Oct, 6, 1953 Keller NOV. '10, 1953 Buttery Apr. 13, 1954 Van Rosen "Sept.' 24, 1957 I Lawrence Nov.'.14, 1961 FOREIGN "PATENTS 1 France Deb; 30, 1953' hum- 

